VISION STATEMENT
A wild piece of land near Europe’s westernmost cliffs is host to a journey of self-discovery, where community building is guided by nature and the energy of this powerful site.
Terra Alta is an inclusive learning centre welcoming people from all walks of life, here invited to step into their role as regenerative agents, creating new pathways into the future and inciting an international movement of cultural, land, and social transformation.
MISSION
Inspired by the principles of permaculture, we are committed to working with nature, regenerating the soil, producing healthy food, and building ecologically while actively contributing to an international web of eco-cultural transformation.
Terra Alta offers experiential life-education programmes for both youths and adults, inspiring participants to become pollinators and spread the word of abundance and nature connection far and wide.
OUR STORY
Pedro Valdjiu and Rita Seixas met as teenagers in 1994, eventually becoming parents of two daughters, Jasmim and Zoe. Unsatisfied with the schooling available, they took it upon themselves to create an educational context for their children and others whose parents faced similar concerns. It was in the bioregion of Sintra, a mountainous area near Lisbon, that they founded Escola da Terra in 2008 - a Waldorf school and kindergarten, which presently serves over 50 children from all over the world.
Their educational project moved a step further in 2009 when Escola da Terra hosted a Permaculture Design Course. This gained momentum and with increasing demand each year, gradually transformed into what Terra Alta is today - one of the most active permaculture projects in Portugal and Europe.
​
Together with their family, friends, students and a web of key people committed to the cause, Pedro and Rita have spent a decade developing a model for regenerative culture. And now, at a time when solutions are needed more than ever, we are happy to be welcoming hundreds of students each year, ready to contribute to positive change in the world.
WHO WE ARE
PEDRO VALDJIU
Founder & Host
Pedro Valdjiu is an artist, father, designer and visionary. Founding Terra Alta in 2008 was part of his dream to build a model for regenerative culture. 10 years later, he continues to shape and sharpen Terra Alta's output and offerings.
​
Pedro is a certified Permaculture teacher of the UK Permaculture Association. A student of "rebel farmer" Sepp Holzer and deeply committed to the teachings of Permaculture pioneer David Holmgren, Pedro hosts and facilitates Terra Alta's PDCs, and continues to shape this unique programme 10 years in the making.
​
Pedro is also the founder of world-renowned band Blasted Mechanism, an award-winning filmmaker, and co-founder of Escola da Terra - a Waldorf School in the community of Sintra.
RITA SEIXAS
Co-Founder
Rita Seixas is a dedicated educator, community leader, artist and mother. As co-founder of both Terra Alta and Escola da Terra, she is committed to transformation through a renewed educational context.
​
Rita is deeply connected to Anthroposophy, a spiritual science created by Rudolf Steiner and the belief system underlying Waldorf education. She is also a skilled artist in the areas of crafting, painting, and drawing, with a strong eye for function and aesthetics. These qualities have filtered into all her output, whether personal or professional.
